Smiler Grogan
"Smiler" Grogan (first name unknown) is a deceased criminal, wanted for the theft of $350,000 from a tuna factory. He is the character that sets off the plot of the film. He is played by Jimmy Durante. Life Prior to Death Fifteen years prior to his death, Grogan was a prime suspect in the robbery of $350,000 from a tuna factory presumably in Santa Rosita Beach. Over the next 15 years Grogan was on the run and under close watch from the police, especially from Captain T. G. Culpeper of the Santa Rosita Police Dept. After stealing the cash, Grogan buried his stolen stash of money under a "Big W" in Santa Rosita Beach State Park. Chase, Crash, & Death Published by Juan Martinez (botinist/comedy) After staying in a motel for the night, Grogan stopped at a small restaurant for breakfast. To avoid paying for his meal, he went into the restroom and climbed out the back window. This was probably when the chase by two police detectives began. He remained far ahead in the chase until he was well into a rocky region of the Mojave Desert. He passed several cars, honking his horn urgently, until he passed Russell J. Finch's Chrysler Imperial Convertible. He drove through the guard rail, off the cliff, and, to quote Finch, went "sailing right out there" While his car was tumbling down the rocks, Grogan was thrown clear of the vehicle, landing on the rocks nearby. The four cars that he passed, the Finches' Imperial, the Crumps' station wagon, Dingy Bell and Benjy Benjamin's Volkswagen, and trucker Lennie Pike's moving van, stopped nearby the site of the wreck. When the five got to him, Grogan was on the verge of death, refusing medical service by dentist Melville Crump. Grogan, as a thanks to the good samaritans, criptically told the group the location of his stolen loot. "Look, there's this dough see. There's all this dough. 350 G's! Do ya hear what I'm sayin'? 350 G's! In the park, in Rosita... Rosita Beach State Park... Just south of Diego, in Santa Rosita. It's in this box... Buried under this... (coughing) Buried under this big dubbaya! You'll see it! You'll see it under this... Under this big dubbaya! Ya can't miss it! A big... A big DUBBAYA! And it's been there, and it's been layin' there for 15 years. Listen, I tell ya I'm givin' it to ya. And don't let 'em catch ya. Don't let 'em catch ya. Don't let 'em give ya the business see. Because it was MINE. And I paid for it. Paid for every lousy buck of it, ya hear! But watch out. Watch out for the bulls. Lousy, stinkin' bulls are everywhere. Bulls all over the place. You just drive down a dig up! Dig it all up! (coughing) And then... And then you fix yourselves all up. Fix yourselves all up. Walk down the street like a king, back to the old neighborhood. See the folks. The dames. The dames all with a big hello. A big hello for ol' Smiler. Good ol' Smiler. Everybody's friend... Everybody's friend..." '''- '''Grogan's words to the five men, containing the location of the stolen cash, warnings of the police, instructions to do nothing but drive down and dig up the money, and tellings of fame and fortune coming with the loot. Grogan then appeared to be dead, but moments later he jumped back to life. He began raving to Crump, thinking he was his "Aunt Belle" He said that he "Didn't mean to do it" and asked for Crump to say that "it don't make any difference." Crump told him this, and Grogan passed away a happy man, quite literally "kicking the bucket" Category:Characters